Clinging to Life

Jesus said to her, Stop clinging to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brethren and say to them, 'I ascend to my Father and your Father, and my God and your God.' (John 20:17)


   The morning sun is peeking over the horizon with a beautiful orange glow.  As I look out the dining room window, I see a few leaves still clinging to the trees fluttering gently in the breeze.   Most of the fall foliage has fallen, but a few leaves are desperately clinging to life.  Soon the trees will be bare as winter lays its claim upon them, and dormancy takes over.  Six months will lapse before we see newness of life again.  In the meantime, they stand like sentinels to remind us that life remains within.

   The women came to the tomb on the first day of the week clinging to hope.  Hope that somehow a miracle would take place.  When they arrived and found the tomb empty, it seemed that their hope vanished.  He was gone!  As Mary Magdalene lingered at the empty tomb, two angels appeared and questioned her, "Woman, why are you crying?"  "They have taken my Lord away," she said, "and I don't know where they have put him."  (John 20:13 NIV)  Her hope was at a low point until she turned and saw Jesus.  She thought maybe he was the gardener, but when he spoke her name, "Mary," she realized that Jesus truly was alive.  Immediately she fell at his feet and wrapped her arms around his legs.  At that point, she wanted to cling to him forever but Jesus said to her, "Don't cling to me."

   As believers, we tend to cling to the word of God as if it is our personal treasure.  The Bible was meant to be shared with others.  Others need the treasure that lies within its pages.  Jesus told Mary to go tell the disciples that he was alive and coming to meet with them.  When Mary obeyed and ran to the disciples with the good news, her hope was put into action.

   As true believers, we have a living hope that needs to be seen by the rest of the world.  Paul says, "How will they call on him in whom they have not believed?  How will they believe in him whom they have not heard?  And how will they hear without a preacher." (Romans 10:14 ASV)  You and I are the preachers that God wants to send with the good news.  We need to stop clinging and start preaching.

Thought for the Day: God gave his word for the entire world to hear and read.